Brad Osman: DUI has growth compared to 2017, Tetovo win in the second round

Northern Macedonia Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani says the Democratic Union for Integration has been confirmed in local elections as the first Albanian party.

“We have received 124 thousand votes for candidates and about 104 thousand votes for municipal councilors. Essential growth compared to the score of 2017. DUI has been confirmed as the party that has the greatest support for Albanians”, DUI spokesman said.

For the result reached in Tetovo Town City, where DUI has headquarters, Mr. Osmani said the presence of some candidates made victory in the first round very difficult.

“We enter the second round, with the advantage of about 11,000 votes compared to the second candidate. We are also winners in Tetovo”, said RMV Foreign Minister.

In front of the Belgrade Movement candidate, Bilyal Kasam, Mr. Osmani said DUI will seek support from LSDM, despite both Albanian parties being part of Zoran Zaev's ruling coalition.

“We seek the support of the LSDM we ask for and expect support from them. Their assessment remains, but I think this would be the correct” decision, DUI's top official said.

For the huge decline in the Kricova municipality by over 80,000 votes, Mr. Osmani was justified by saying that “had split the vote as there were two Albanian candidates and a Macedonian”.

In the second round where there will be a battle between DUI and VMRO- The DPMNE, the one at Euronews Albania, said the Coalition for Albanians would support the Macedonian candidate. The same thing he said would happen in Vrarchy and Charachy.

“DUI has never questioned national interests against party interests or electoral calculations”, he said, adding that in the RMV it would be sufficient to have only two Albanian parties as the creation of many parties has brought fragmentation and weakening of Albanians.

According to Mr. Osmani the parliamentary majority is stable, even he warned that the majority would expand with other MPs after the elections.

“Talks are under way and this will be opened immediately after the second round of elections”, the foreign minister said, adding that it is about bringing MPs from small opposition parties.

Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani added that DUI has been reconfirmed as the first party of Albanians, while in terms of the LSDM result, said that “voters have given a message” after failing to achieve the expected outcome, but added there is no situation for early elections.

Currently, the ruling majority has only two deputies more than the opposition, and following the satisfactory outcome in the first round, the leader of VMRO- The DPMNE has spoken of the need for early elections.